Vent for liquid storage tanks



Sept. 11, 1934. J, A, JENSEN VENT FOR LIQUID STORAGE TANKS Filed Sept. 16, 1931 ESE- I N VEN TOR.- Jamasflwmsen TTORNEYS.

opening in the tank, not shown.

Patented Sept. 11, 1934 VENT FOR LIQUID STORAGE TANKS James A. Jensen, Philadelphia, Pa., asaignor to Quaker City Iron Works, Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 16, 1931, Serial No. 583,089

4 Claim.

This invention relates to vents useful in connection with tanks employed for bulk storage of volatile fluids, particularly liquid fuels such as gasoline and the like. g

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive vent for storage tanks of the type referred to, having the form of a fitting which is easily applied to the tanks, which will automatically permit relief of internal pressure from within the tank upon accumulation of such pressure beyond a predetermined point, as well as ingress of displacement air to satisfy the vacuity created incident to partial withdrawal of the ,tank contents, but, which will normally remain closed when there is no necessity for satisfying either of the above indicated conditions and thus operate as an effective means to prevent loss of the gasoline by evaporation, withincident elimivnation of the explosion and fire hazard.

ing the manner in which the vent operates to relieve pressure from within the tank, and,

Fig. V shows a perspective view of the vent body.

Referring more in detail to these illustrations, my improved vent is in the form of a fitting comprising a hollow annular body 6 which terminates at its lower end in a somewhat diametrically reduced neck 7, and which is internally threaded for convenience of application to an In threaded engagement with the body 6 is a cap 8 having a depending peripheral flange 9 to overhang a series of lateral ports 10 around the top of the said body. Ingress of dirt or dust through the ports 10, is prevented by an annular screen 11 which surrounds the upper end of the body 6, and which rests on a circumferential flange ledge 12. Cooperating with an annular seat 13 within the body 6 immediately below the level of the ports 10 is a ported valve 14 which normally closes the passage through the body 6, the said valve 14 being urged toward its seat- 13 by a compression spring 15 whereof one and engages over a central upstanding lug 16 of the said valve, while its other end is lodged in a hollow axial boss 17 of the cap 8. A second valve 19 having the form of a disk, cooperates with a seat 20 in turn formed on the valve 14 around an axial opening or ports 21 through the latter. This supplemental valve 19.-'is 1ikewise subject to a helical spring 22 which pressesagainst the lower face of 50.

the said supplementahvalve, and at its lower end abuts inwardly projecting circumferential lugs 23 interiorly of the neck? of the body 6. The supplemental valve 19 is guided in its movement by lugs in turn confine the said mainvalve to up and down movement in the hollow of the body 6. As shown, the lower endsof the lugs 24 are headed inward asat, 25, to limit the downwar movement of the supplemental valve -19."

Normally, the valves 14 and 19 are closed as shown in Fig. 1, thereby preventing evaporation from within the tank and at the same time preventing ingress of air into the tank byway depending lugs 24 on the main valve, 14 which: 6

of the circumferential ports 10 in the body 6. '75 However, as gasoline is drawn from the tank, a. l

the supplemental valve 19 is drawn downward by the incidentally created vacuum against the pressure of the spring 22, thereby opening the central port 21 in the main valve 14 as shown in Fig. III and permitting air to enter the tank by way of the circumferential ports 10. vIn the event of building of pressure within the tank due to excessive evaporation in abnormally hot weather, the main valve 14 is bodily lifted together with the supplemental valve 19- as shown in Fig. IV to permit direct relief of the pressure by way of thecircumferential ports 10.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and automaticallyoperative vent for bulk storage tanks for liquid fuel and the like, which is absolutely reliable in relieving excess pressure on the one hand, and on the other hand, of permitting influx of displacement air when the pressure in the tank falls below normal, while it ordinarily prevents evaporation of the stored liquid.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a vent device for storage tanks the combination of a hollow body with a diametricallyreduced attaching-section and having lateral ports about its larger portion, open to the atmosphere, as well as an internal seat immediately below said openings; an annular screen enclosing the lateral openings and seating on a flangeledge exterior of the hollow'body; a cap engaging the upper peripheral edge of the hollow body and embodying 9. depending flange spacedly surrounding the screen ports; an annular relief closure-member engaging the internal seat and responsive to pressure within the tank: means to downwardly urge the relief closure member; a separate intake disk-valve co-operative with a groove seat in the inner annular-edge of the relief member; and both of said valves in normal through its larger upper-portion, open to the atmosphere, as well as an internal groove seat immediately below said openings; an annular screen surrounding the port openings and seating on an exterior flange-ledge around the hollow body;

a cap threadedly engaging the upper peripheral end of the hollow body and embodying a depending flange spacedly overhanging the screened ports; a downwardly-urged annular relief-valve engaging the internal seat and responsive to pressure within the tank; a separate upwardly-urged intake disk-valve co-operative with a groove-seat in the lower inner annular-edge of the relief valve; and both of said valves in normal position jointlyclosing passage through the hollow body.

3. A vent device for tanks comprising a hollow open-ended body with a diametrically-reduced lower attaching-section and having lateral ports about its larger upper-portion, open to the atmosphere, as well as an internal groove-seat immediately below said openings; an annular screen surrounding the port openings and seating on an exterior flange-ledge around the hollow body; a cap threadedly engaging the upper exterior end of the hollow body and embodying a depending as well as an internal groove-seat immediately below said ports; an annular screen surrounding the lateral ports and seating on an exterior flangeledge around the hollow body; a cap threadedly engaging the upper exterior end of the hollow .body and embodying a depending peripheral flange spacedly-overhanging the screened ports; a downwardly-influenced annular relief-valve engaging the internal groove-seat, responsive to pressure within the tank, and embodying radially-directed depending lugs afl'ording positive guidance therefor in the hollow body; a separate upwardly-influenced intake disk-valve co-operative with a groove-seat in the lower inner edge of the annular relief valve afforded guidance by the inner edges of the depending lugs aforesaid; both of said valves in normal position jointly-closing passage through the hollow body; and inward projections at the lower extremities of depending lugs to limit downward movement of the disk valve away from its seat.

JAMES A. JENSEN. 

